Christmas Novena ~ Day 9 ~

24 December:

O Thou that sittest upon the cherubim,
God of hosts, come, show Thy face,
and we shall be saved.


1 Our Father..1 Hail Mary..1 Glory Be

Divine Infant Jesus,
after the wonders of Thy Holy Birth in Bethlehem,
Thou wished to extend Thy infinite Mercy to the whole world
by calling the Wise Men by heavenly inspiration to Thy crib,
which was in this way changed into a royal throne.
Thou graciously received those holy men
who were obedient to the Divine call
and hastened  to Thy feet.
They recognized and worshiped Thee as Prince of Peace,
the Redeemer of mankind,
and the very Son of God.

Show us also Thy goodness and almighty power.
Enlighten our minds,
strengthen our wills,
and inflame our hearts to know Thee,
to serve Thee,
and to love Thee in this life,
that we may merit to find our joy in Thee eternally in the life to come.

O Lord Jesus, most powerful Child,
I implore Thee again to help me:
(here our intention..)

Divine Child Jesus, great omnipotent God,
I implore through Thy most Holy Mother Mary's most powerful intercession,
and through the boundless mercy of Thy omnipotence as God,
for a favorable answer to my prayer during this Novena.
Grant me the grace of possessing Thee eternally
with Mary and Joseph
and of adoring Thee with Your holy Angels and Saints. Amen

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Christmas Novena ~ Day 8 ~

23 December:

O Emmanuel,
our King and our Law-giver,
Longing of the Gentiles,
yea, and salvation thereof,
come to save us,
O Lord our God!

1 Our Father..1 Hail Mary..1 Glory Be

Divine Infant Jesus,
after the wonders of Thy Holy Birth in Bethlehem,
Thou wished to extend Thy infinite Mercy to the whole world
by calling the Wise Men by heavenly inspiration to Thy crib,
which was in this way changed into a royal throne.
Thou graciously received those holy men
who were obedient to the Divine call
and hastened  to Thy feet.
They recognized and worshiped Thee as Prince of Peace,
the Redeemer of mankind,
and the very Son of God.

Show us also Thy goodness and almighty power.
Enlighten our minds,
strengthen our wills,
and inflame our hearts to know Thee,
to serve Thee,
and to love Thee in this life,
that we may merit to find our joy in Thee eternally in the life to come.

O Lord Jesus, most powerful Child,
I implore Thee again to help me:
(here our intention..)

Divine Child Jesus, great omnipotent God,
I implore through Thy most Holy Mother Mary's most powerful intercession,
and through the boundless mercy of Thy omnipotence as God,
for a favorable answer to my prayer during this Novena.
Grant me the grace of possessing Thee eternally
with Mary and Joseph
and of adoring Thee with Your holy Angels and Saints. Amen

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Christmas Novena ~ Day 7 ~

22 December:

O King of the Gentiles,
yea, and desire thereof!
O Corner-stone, that makest of two one,
come to save man,
whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth!

1 Our Father..1 Hail Mary..1 Glory Be

Divine Infant Jesus,
after the wonders of Thy Holy Birth in Bethlehem,
Thou wished to extend Thy infinite Mercy to the whole world
by calling the Wise Men by heavenly inspiration to Thy crib,
which was in this way changed into a royal throne.
Thou graciously received those holy men
who were obedient to the Divine call
and hastened  to Thy feet.
They recognized and worshiped Thee as Prince of Peace,
the Redeemer of mankind,
and the very Son of God.

Show us also Thy goodness and almighty power.
Enlighten our minds,
strengthen our wills,
and inflame our hearts to know Thee,
to serve Thee,
and to love Thee in this life,
that we may merit to find our joy in Thee eternally in the life to come.

O Lord Jesus, most powerful Child,
I implore Thee again to help me:
(here our intention..)

Divine Child Jesus, great omnipotent God,
I implore through Thy most Holy Mother Mary's most powerful intercession,
and through the boundless mercy of Thy omnipotence as God,
for a favorable answer to my prayer during this Novena.
Grant me the grace of possessing Thee eternally
with Mary and Joseph
and of adoring Thee with Your holy Angels and Saints. Amen

Christmas Novena ~ Day 6 ~

21 December:

O Dayspring,
Brightness of the everlasting light,
Son of Justice,
come to give Light to them that sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death!

1 Our Father..1 Hail Mary..1 Glory Be

Divine Infant Jesus,
after the wonders of Thy Holy Birth in Bethlehem,
Thou wished to extend Thy infinite Mercy to the whole world
by calling the Wise Men by heavenly inspiration to Thy crib,
which was in this way changed into a royal throne.
Thou graciously received those holy men
who were obedient to the Divine call
and hastened to Thy feet.
They recognized and worshiped Thee as Prince of Peace,
the Redeemer of mankind,
and the very Son of God.

Show us also Thy goodness and almighty power.
Enlighten our minds,
strengthen our wills,
and inflame our hearts to know Thee,
to serve Thee,
and to love Thee in this life,
that we may merit to find our joy in Thee eternally in the life to come.

O Lord Jesus, most powerful Child,
I implore Thee again to help me:
(here our intention..)

Divine Child Jesus, great omnipotent God,
I implore through Thy most Holy Mother Mary's most powerful intercession,
and through the boundless mercy of Thy omnipotence as God,
for a favorable answer to my prayer during this Novena.
Grant me the grace of possessing Thee eternally
with Mary and Joseph
and of adoring Thee with Your holy Angels and Saints. Amen

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Christmas Novena ~ Day 5 ~

20 December:
O Key of David,
and Sceptre of the house of Israel,
that openeth and no man shutteth,
and shutteth and no man openeth,
come to liberate the prisoner from the prison,
and them that sit in darkness,
and in the shadow of death.Amen

1 Our Father..1 Hail Mary..1 Glory Be

Divine Infant Jesus,
after the wonders of Thy Holy Birth in Bethlehem,
Thou wished to extend Thy infinite Mercy to the whole world
by calling the Wise Men by heavenly inspiration to Thy crib,
which was in this way changed into a royal throne.
Thou graciously received those holy men
who were obedient to the Divine call
and hastened to Thy feet.
They recognized and worshiped Thee as Prince of Peace,
the Redeemer of mankind,
and the very Son of God.

Show us also Thy goodness and almighty power.
Enlighten our minds,
strengthen our wills,
and inflame our hearts to know Thee,
to serve Thee,
and to love Thee in this life,
that we may merit to find our joy in Thee eternally in the life to come.

O Lord Jesus, most powerful Child,
I implore Thee again to help me:
(here our intention..)

Divine Child Jesus, great omnipotent God,
I implore through Thy most Holy Mother Mary's most powerful intercession,
and through the boundless mercy of Thy omnipotence as God,
for a favorable answer to my prayer during this Novena.
Grant me the grace of possessing Thee eternally
with Mary and Joseph
and of adoring Thee with Your holy Angels and Saints. Amen

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Today Advent Feria - Vigil of St. Thomas

Violet Vestments Missa "Ego autem"

The Church attaches great importance to the feasts of the Apostles, which are preceded by a Vigil
This day Collect :
Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that the august solemnity of blessed Thomas, Thine Apostle and to which we look forward, may increase both our devotion and our salvation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God , forever and ever.Amen.
Oremus. Da quæsumus, omnípotens Deus, ut beáti Thomæ Apóstoli tui, q prævenímus, venerán-da solém-nitas, et devotiónem nobis augeat, et salútem. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, Per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Commemoration of the Advent Feria
Lord, we beseech Thee, stir up Thy power, and come, and with great might succor us: that by the help of Thy grace that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by Thy merciful forgiveness.Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

The Gospel recalls the vocation of this great Apostle Saint Thomas, also known as the "doubting Apostle" who had the happiness of hearing continually the word of Christ and of enjoying His intimacy. The Offertory declares that he had been chosen by Jesus to be one of the twelve Princes who would govern His Church, "the Lord has crowned him with glory and honor and has given him authority over the works of His hands."

In addition, the words of the Epistle that St. Thomas was given by Christ, "his share of inheritance among the twelve tribes." The country of the Parthians and Persions was allotted to St. Thomas when the Apostles divided the world among themselves. Let us prepare for tomorrow's solemnity in union with the Holy Church.

Preface of the Apostles

The Lord be with you.And with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We have lifted them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is meet and just.
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, to entreat Thee humbly, O Lord, that Thou woulds not desert Thy flock.
O everlasting Shepherd; but through Thy blessed Apostles, wouldst keep it under Thy constant protection; that it may be governed by those same rulers, whom as vicars of Thy work, Thou didst set over it to be its pastors.
And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of The glory, evermore saying:
Holy , Holy , Holy God of Hosts ,
Heaven and earth are full of Thy Glory;
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest.Amen

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Christmas Novena ~ Day 4 ~

19 December:
O Root of Jesse,
which standest for an ensign of the people,
at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths,
Whom the Gentiles shall seek,
come to deliver us,
do not tarry.


1 Our Father..1 Hail Mary..1 Glory Be

Divine Infant Jesus,
after the wonders of Thy Holy Birth in Bethlehem,
Thou wished to extend Thy infinite Mercy to the whole world
by calling the Wise Men by heavenly inspiration to Thy crib,
which was in this way changed into a royal throne.
Thou graciously received those holy men
who were obedient to the Divine call
and hastened to Thy feet.
They recognized and worshiped Thee as Prince of Peace,
the Redeemer of mankind,
and the very Son of God.

Show us also Thy goodness and almighty power.
Enlighten our minds,
strengthen our wills,
and inflame our hearts to know Thee,
to serve Thee,
and to love Thee in this life,
that we may merit to find our joy in Thee eternally in the life to come.

O Lord Jesus, most powerful Child,
I implore Thee again to help me:
(here our intention..)

Divine Child Jesus, great omnipotent God,
I implore through Thy most Holy Mother Mary's most powerful intercession,
and through the boundless mercy of Thy omnipotence as God,
for a favorable answer to my prayer during this Novena.
Grant me the grace of possessing Thee eternally
with Mary and Joseph
and of adoring Thee with Your holy Angels and Saints. Amen

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Christmas Novena ~ Day 3 ~

18 December:

O Adonai,
and Ruler of the House of Israel,
Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush,
and gavest him the law in Sinai,
come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!

1 Our Father..1 Hail Mary..1 Glory Be

Divine Infant Jesus,
after the wonders of Thy Holy Birth in Bethlehem,
Thou wished to extend Thy infinite Mercy to the whole world
by calling the Wise Men by heavenly inspiration to Thy crib,
which was in this way changed into a royal throne.
Thou graciously received those holy men
who were obedient to the Divine call
and hastened to Thy feet.
They recognized and worshiped Thee as Prince of Peace,
the Redeemer of mankind,
and the very Son of God.

Show us also Thy goodness and almighty power.
Enlighten our minds,
strengthen our wills,
and inflame our hearts to know Thee,
to serve Thee,
and to love Thee in this life,
that we may merit to find our joy in Thee eternally in the life to come.

O Lord Jesus, most powerful Child,
I implore Thee again to help me:
(here our intention..)

Divine Child Jesus, great omnipotent God,
I implore through Thy most Holy Mother Mary's most powerful intercession,
and through the boundless mercy of Thy omnipotence as God,
for a favorable answer to my prayer during this Novena.
Grant me the grace of possessing Thee eternally
with Mary and Joseph
and of adoring Thee with Your holy Angels and Saints. Amen

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Fourth Sunday of Advent

On this last Sunday of Advent, as the solemn celebration of Christ's Holy Birth approaches, the Church reminds us of that Holy day nine months earlier when Jesus was conceived in His Holy Mother Mary's womb.
In less than a week we will be celebrating the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord, Christmas.
Soon it will be Christmas, a time for us to celebrate what God is doing in our world right now, not only what he accomplished in Bethlehem so long ago. This experience of hunger for Christ's coming and his being with us, is a part of every Eucharist. With the priest we pray the words which conclude the doxology of the Our Father, Deliver us, Lord... as we wait the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today Missa Rorate Coeli
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near. Philippians 4:4-5 (Roman Missal)

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete: modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestrae innotescant apud Deum.
Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Iacob.(Graduale Romanum )

Whereas the Church during the whole year offers her prayers to God the Father in union with Jesus Christ, during Advent she addresses herself directly to the Word, and not to the Word Incarnate, as is shown by today's Collect.

Collect to God Eternal Father
Lord, we beseech Thee, stir up Thy power, and come, and with great might succor us: that by the help of Thy grace that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by Thy merciful forgiveness. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God , forever and ever.Amen.

Collect for Our Blessed Lady
O God, Who didst will that at the message of an angel Thy word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary: grant that we, Thy suppliants, who believe her to be truly the mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever.Amen.

Collect for God's Holy Church
Let us pray. Graciously hear, O Lord, the prayers of Thy Church that, having overcome all adversity and every error, she may serve Thee in security and freedom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever.Amen.

In the Collect, the Church implores God to hasten the time of His coming to her assistance; she fears lest her sins might keep her Spouse from visiting her; she, therefore, prays that this obstacle may be removed by His mercy.

The Liturgy reminds us, indeed, during these four weeks or the time during which the world was without Jesus.
This Mediator we now await, and since we can go to God only through Him, we implore Him, to hasten His coming ( through the Collect's prayers ). "Come, 0 Lord, and tarry not" .
"The Lord is nigh" (Gradual Psalm) , and it is Mary who is about to give Him to us.

Psalm 144: 18, 21
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him: to all that call upon Him in truth. V. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His Holy Name. Alleluia, alleluia. V. Come, O Lord, and tarry not: forgive the sins of Thy people Israel. Alleluia.

Prope est Dóminus ómnibus invocántibus eum: ómnibus qui ínvocant eum in veritáte. V. Laudem, Dómini loquétur os meum: et benedícat omnis caro nomen sanctum ejus. Allelúja, allelúja. V. Veni, Dómine, et noli tardáre: reláxa facínora plebi tuæ Israël. Alleluja.

The Offertory and the Communion are consecrated to His praises.

~ May you all have a truly blessed Fourth Sunday of Advent~

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Related articles

• Advent Reflection on the Child to Be Born by Mark D. Roberts (trinityspeaks.wordpress.com)

Our very possible new Saint : Archbishop Fulton Sheen . Praise the Lord !

On Sept. 16, 2010, Bonnie Engstrom and her husband Travis prayed fervently to Archbishop Sheen after she delivered a stillborn son. The baby, whom they named James Fulton after the archbishop, had no pulse for 61 minutes after he was born.

As doctors prepared to declare the time of death, however, his heart started beating. Although the physicians predicted serious medical problems, James Fulton is now a happy, healthy one-year-old.In addition to serving as an auxiliary bishop of New York and bishop of Rochester, Archbishop Sheen was best known for his weekly radio broadcast, “The Catholic Hour,” and his later weekly television program, “Life is Worth Living.”
The archbishop died in 1979 and his cause for sainthood was opened in 2002.
A second approved miracle will be necessary before Archbishop Sheen – currently called a Servant of God – can be declared a saint.
( News via California Catholic Daily Newspaper )

Related articles

• Investigation concludes on alleged Fulton Sheen miracle (catholicnewsagency.com)
• Archbishop Fulton Sheen credited with baby's stunning recovery (onecatholicnews.wordpress.com)

Christmas Novena ~ Day 2 ~

17 December:

O Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High,
that reachest from one end to another,
and orderest all things mightily and sweetly,
come to teach us the way of prudence!

1 Our Father..1 Hail Mary..1 Glory Be

Divine Infant,
after the wonders of Thy Holy Birth in Bethlehem,
Thou wished to extend Thy infinite Mercy to the whole world
by calling the Wise Men by heavenly inspiration to Thy crib,
which was in this way changed into a royal throne.
Thou graciously received those holy men
who were obedient to the Divine call
and hastened to Thy feet.
They recognized and worshiped Thee as Prince of Peace,
the Redeemer of mankind,
and the very Son of God.

Show us also Thy goodness and almighty power.
Enlighten our minds,
strengthen our wills,
and inflame our hearts to know Thee,
to serve Thee,
and to love Thee in this life,
that we may merit to find our joy in Thee eternally in the life to come.

O Jesus, most powerful Child,
I implore Thee again to help me:
(here our intention..)
Divine Child, great omnipotent God,
I implore through Thee most Holy Mother's most powerful intercession,
and through the boundless mercy of Thy omnipotence as God,
for a favorable answer to my prayer during this Novena.
Grant me the grace of possessing Thee eternally
with Mary and Joseph
and of adoring Thee with Thy Holy Angels and Saints. Amen

Christmas Novena ( begins today December 16 and ends December 24 - the Christmas Eve )

16 December:

O Shepherd that rulest Israel,
Thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep,
come to guide and comfort us.

1 Our Father..1 Hail Mary..1 Glory Be

Divine Infant,
after the wonders of Your Holy Birth in Bethlehem,
You wished to extend Your infinite Mercy to the whole world
by calling the Wise Men by heavenly inspiration to Your crib,
which was in this way changed into a royal throne.
You graciously received those holy men
who were obedient to the Divine call
and hastened to Your feet.
They recognized and worshiped You as Prince of Peace,
the Redeemer of mankind,
and the very Son of God.

Show us also Your goodness and almighty power.
Enlighten our minds,
strengthen our wills,
and inflame our hearts to know You,
to serve You,
and to love You in this life,
that we may merit to find our joy in You eternally in the life to come.

O Jesus, most powerful Child,
I implore You again to help me:
(here our prayer intention..)

Divine Child, great omnipotent God,
I implore through Your most Holy Mother's most powerful intercession,
and through the boundless mercy of Your omnipotence as God,
for a favorable answer to my prayer during this Novena.
Grant me the grace of possessing You eternally
with Mary and Joseph
and of adoring You with Your holy angels and saints

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Jean Baptiste Maunier - Pueri Concinite

Sing together, children,
sing songs to the newborn King;
in pious tones, say:
He who was born of Mary appears.
Now we see fulfilled the word of Gabriel: Eya, eya!
The Virgin has given birth to God,
As the divine mercy willed.

Third Week of Advent ~ December 12 ~

December 12: Jesus Suffers During His Whole Life


Extract from The Incarnation, Birth and Infancy of Jesus, St. Alphonsus Liguori
with Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur

Dolor meus in conspectu meo semper.
"My sorrow is continually before me."-----Ps. 38:18

Consider that all the sufferings and ignominy that Jesus endured in His life and death, all were present to Him from the first moment of His life: My sorrow is continually before Me; and even from His childhood He began to offer them in satisfaction for our sins, beginning even then to fulfill His office of Redeemer.
He revealed to one of His servants that from the commencement of His life even until His death, He suffered continually; and suffered so much for each of our sins that if He had had as many lives as there are men, He would as many times have died of sorrow, if God had not preserved His life, that He might suffer more.
Oh, what a martyrdom did the loving heart of Jesus constantly endure in beholding all the sins of men! He beheld every single fault. Even whilst He was in the womb of Mary every particular sin passed in review before Jesus, and each sin afflicted Him immeasurably. St. Thomas says that this sorrow which Jesus Christ felt at the knowledge of the injury done to His Father, and of the evil that sin would occasion to the souls that He loved, surpassed the sorrows of all the contrite sinners that ever existed, even of those who died of pure sorrow; because no sinner ever loved God and His Own Soul as much as Jesus loved His Father and our souls. Wherefore that agony which our Redeemer suffered in the garden at the sight of our sins was endured by Him even from His mother's womb: I am poor, and in labors from my youth. [Ps. 87]

Thus through the mouth of David did our Savior prophesy of Himself, that all His life should be a continual suffering. From this St. John Chrysostom deduces that we ought not to afflict ourselves for anything but for sin alone; and that since Jesus was afflicted all His life long on account of our sins, so we who have committed them ought to feel a continual sorrow for them, remembering that we have offended God Who has loved us so much. St. Margaret of Cortona never ceased to shed tears for her sins: one day her confessor said to her, "Margaret, no more tears; it is enough, our Lord has already forgiven thee." "What," answered the Saint, "how can my tears and my sorrows suffice for the sins for which my Jesus was afflicted all His life long?"

Affections and Prayers

Behold, my Jesus, at Thy feet the ungrateful sinner, the persecutor who kept Thee in continual affliction during all Thy life. But I will say to Thee with Isaias: But Thou hast delivered my soul that I should not perish. Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back. [38:17] I have offended Thee, I have pierced Thee through with all my sins; but Thou hast not refused to bear on Thy shoulders all my sins: I have voluntarily cast my soul into the fire of Hell every time that I have consented to offend Thee gravely; and Thou, at the cost or Thy Own Blood, hast continually liberated me and prevented me from being entirely lost. My beloved Redeemer, I thank Thee. I could wish to die of sorrow when I think how I have abused Thy infinite goodness; forgive me, my Love, and come and take entire possession of my heart. Thou hast said that Thou wouldst not disdain to enter into the abode of him that opens to Thee, and to remain in his company: If any man shall open to Me the door. I will come in to him, and will sup with him. [Apoc. 3:20] If I have hitherto driven Thee away from me, I now love Thee, and desire nothing but Thy favor. Behold, the door is open, enter Thou into my heart, hut enter never to depart from it again. I am poor; but if Thou enter Thou wilt make me rich. I shall always be rich as long as I possess Thee, the sovereign good. O Queen of Heaven, sorrowful Mother of this suffering Son, I have also been a cause of sorrow to thee, because thou hast participated, in great part, in the sufferings of Jesus: my Mother, do thou also forgive me, and obtain for me the grace to be faithful to thee, now that I hope my Jesus has returned into my soul. Amen

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Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 5-

Invocation to be Said Every Day of the Novena:
Thou art all fair, O Mary,
The Original Stain is not in thee.
Thou art the glory of Jerusalem,
Thou, the joy of Israel,
Thou, the great honor of our people
Thou, the advocate of sinners.
O Mary,O Mary,
Virgin most prudent,
Mother most merciful,
Pray for us,
Intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ.Amen

Day 5:

O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary didst make ready a fitting habitation for Thy Son, we beseech Thee that Thou who didst keep her clean from all stain by the precious death of the same Thy Son, foreseen by Thee, mayest grant unto us in like manner to be made clean through her intercession and so attain unto Thee. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen (Roman Missal).
The Raccolta

By thine Immaculate Conception, O Mary, make my body pure and my spirit holy.Amen

Hail Mary

First Friday Devotions

Those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday, and recite privately some prayers in reparation for the injuries against the Sacred Heart, may gain: A plenary indulgence under the usual conditions. If, moreover, a public service is held, this latter indulgence can be gained only by those who are lawfully prevented from assisting at such a service.

Those who recite devout prayers of reparation on other Fridays of the year, may gain: An indulgence of 7 years once on each Friday. (Raccolta No. 252.)

Act of Consecration

I, N__ N__, give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, my person and my life, my actions, pains and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being save to honor, love, and glorify the Sacred Heart.

This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him.

I therefore take Thee, O Sacred Heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life, and my sure refuge at the hour of death.

Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God Thy Father, and turn away from me the strokes of His righteous anger. O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in Thee, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness and bounty.

Do Thou consume in me all that can displease Thee or resist Thy holy will; let Thy pure love imprint Thee so deeply upon my heart, that I shall nevermore be able to forget Thee or to be separated from Thee; may I obtain from all Thy loving kindness the grace of having my name written in Thee, for in Thee I desire to place all my happiness and all my glory, living and dying in very bondage to Thee.
( prayer of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque )
~ Indulgence of three years; plenary indulgence once a month on the usual conditions for the daily devout recitation of this act of consecration. (Raccolta 258) ~

An Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

(For the First Friday of the Month)

Adorable Heart of Jesus, glowing with love for us and inflamed with zeal for our salvation: O Heart! ever sensible of our misery and the wretchedness to which our sins have reduced us, infinitely rich in mercy to heal the wounds of our souls, behold us humbly prostrate before Thee to express the sorrow that fills our hearts for the coldness and indifference with which we have so long requited the numberless benefits that Thou hast conferred upon us. With a deep sense of the outrages that have been heaped upon Thee by our sins and the sins of others, we come to make a solemn reparation of honor to thy most sacred majesty. It was our sins that overwhelmed Thy Heart with bitterness; it was the weight of our iniquities that pressed down Thy face to the earth in the Garden of Olives, and caused Thee to expire in anguish and agony on the cross. But now, repenting and sorrowful, we cast ourselves at Thy feet, and implore forgiveness.

Adorable Heart of Jesus, source of true contrition and ever merciful to the penitent sinner, impart to our hearts the spirit of penance, and give to our eyes a fountain of tears, that we may sincerely bewail our sins now and for the rest of our days. Oh, would that we could blot them out, even with our blood! Pardon them, O Lord, in Thy mercy, and pardon and convert to Thee all that have committed irreverences and sacrileges against Thee in the sacrament, of Thy love, and thus give another proof that Thy mercy is above all Thy works. Divine Jesus, with Thee there are mercy and plentiful redemption; deliver us from our sins, accept the sincere desire we now entertain, and our holy resolution, relying on the assistance of Thy grace, henceforth to be faithful to Thee. And in order to repair the sins of ingratitude by which we have grieved Thy most tender and loving Heart, we are resolved in the future ever to love and honor Thee in the most adorable Sacrament of the Altar, where Thou art ever present to hear and grant our petitions, and to be the food and life of our souls. Be Thou, O compassionate Jesus! our Mediator with Thy heavenly Father, Whom we have so grievously offended, strengthen our weakness, confirm these our resolutions of amendment, and as Thy Sacred Heart is our refuge and our hope when we have sinned, so may it be the strength and support of our repentance, that nothing in life or death may ever again separate us from Thee. Amen.